Temuka Care & Product Information

 

Porcelain

Temuka ware is made from porcelain which is fully vitrified. This makes it very strong as well as preventing it absorbing moisture even if it is not covered by glaze.

Glazes

The glazes on Temuka ware are fired at the same time as the porcelain to 1200° celsius. This ensures that they are as hard and durable as it is possible to make them, and they become part of the porcelain. Because of this and the absence of moisture absorption the glazes will never craze in normal use.

Lead is not used in the glazes, which means they are always safe for cooking and storage of foods as well as for dining.

Decoration

Except for some logos on specialised ware, Temuka ware is individually hand painted before firing. In firing the colours become part of the glaze, so that even the strongest dishwasher detergents cannot fade them, and rough handling will not change them. Many designs have a second glaze covering the design, which gives even more durability while avoiding the matte finish which occurs with some colours.

Microwave Safe

Because the vitreous porcelain of Temuka ware will not absorb water and because metallic decoration is not used in our designs, the ware is quite safe to use in domestic or commercial microwave ovens.

Oven to Table

Because it will not absorb water and the porcelain does not contain any components which are affected by oven temperatures, Temuka ware is safe to use in the oven and still have an appearance to grace any table setting.

Variation

Because Temuka ware is hand painted, some variation of colour and design can occur from piece to piece.

Temuka Homeware and the Environment

Almost all of the materials used in making Temuka pottery are naturally occurring clays and common minerals, so rare resources are not depleted and toxic materials are not added to our environment. Temuka’s kilns are electrically heated, avoiding carbon dioxide emmissions. And, when the day comes that your Temuka ware has to be disposed of, it will not pollute the environment with toxic materials and it can be recycled as aggregate for concrete, roads, etc.

 

Care of Temuka Ware

Temuka ware is made for everyday use and will happily stand dishwasher detergents and many other hazards. But to keep it looking smart and to avoid breakages:-  

 

  • Take care in handling, especially with large ware. Temuka ware is strong, but it can still be broken.

  • If you do have the misfortune to break a Temuka item, the broken pieces will be sharp. Wrap them in newspaper before putting them in the bin or rubbish bag, and make sure no small chips are left on the floor to endanger small children or bare feet.

  • Never put Temuka ware onto a hotplate, a gas burner, a barbecue or anything which only heats the bottom of the ware. It is likely to crack or break.

  • When cooking with Temuka ware, do not put it on the bottom shelf of the oven close to the element – it is like putting it on a hotplate. Use the upper shelves, or use the fan function (If you have a fan oven). You could put the baking sheet, supplied with most ovens, between the ware and the element.

  • When you take hot Temuka ware from the oven, do not place it directly on a cold metal surface. It is a good idea to always place it on a cloth, whatever the surface – it can get hot enough in the oven to damage same work surfaces.

  • Do not put frozen food into a very hot Temuka item. If the ware is hot enough to make the food sizzle, it may crack.

  • When stacking or putting out plates or similar ware, try to avoid sliding the pieces over each other, since the foot of one may scratch the one below it in the stack.

  • The very hard glazes used on Temuka ware sometimes suffer metal marking. This is due to the metal of cutlery, etc, rubbing off on the glaze surface and the marks are not removed by dishwashers. Occasional handwashing with stainless steel cleaner or a mild abrasive cleaner will remove it.

Caution – Pastry cases

When cooking pies, etc, with pastry cases, especially flaky pastry, be aware that pastry can be a good heat insulator. If you only use the bottom elements of your oven, this may mean that the bottom of the baking dish can get extremely hot as the oven tries to get the heat through to the filling of the pie. Apart from the risk of burns, when the item is taken from the oven, the dish may break even if placed on a cloth, and may damage benchtops, etc.